{"id":2293,"date":"2025-10-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/?p=2293"},"modified":"2026-02-13T21:51:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T12:51:26","slug":"what-is-shonbori-the-japanese-sound-of-feeling-downhearted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/?p=2293","title":{"rendered":"What Is \u201cShonbori\u201d? The Japanese Sound of Feeling Downhearted"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ever seen someone sitting with drooped shoulders after bad news?<br><br>Or felt your own energy fade after something didn\u2019t go your way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s when the Japanese onomatopoeia <strong>\u201cShonbori\u201d (\u3057\u3087\u3093\u307c\u308a)<\/strong> appears \u2014 a sound that perfectly captures looking and feeling dejected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we dive in, hear what it sounds like!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/001_\u305a\u3093\u3060\u3082\u3093\uff08\u30ce\u30fc\u30de\u30eb\uff09_\u3057\u3087\u3093\u307c\u308a.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is \u201cShonbori\u201d (\u3057\u3087\u3093\u307c\u308a)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cShonbori\u201d is a Japanese onomatopoeia that describes being dispirited, crestfallen, or downhearted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s used when someone looks or feels sad, disappointed, or listless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For appearance \u2014 drooping shoulders, sad expression<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For feelings \u2014 disappointed, discouraged, let down<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For atmosphere \u2014 gloomy, downcast<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pronunciation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>shon-boh-ree<\/strong><br>(Say it slowly, letting your tone sink down, as if your shoulders were drooping.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Categories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Emotion<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Does \u201cShonbori\u201d Look Like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It looks like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A child who lost a game, head hanging low<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Someone sitting quietly after hearing bad news<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A pet waiting sadly by the door when left alone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"265\" height=\"80\" src=\"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/shonbori_t.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2295\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Do You Say It?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Say it with a sigh, shoulders slumping down:<br><strong>Shon\u2026 bori\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like when your hopes are dashed,<br>or when you feel small after a failure:<br><strong>Shonbori\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/001_\u305a\u3093\u3060\u3082\u3093\uff08\u30ce\u30fc\u30de\u30eb\uff09_\u3057\u3087\u3093\u307c\u308a.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Example in Daily Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Example: Test results<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>She didn\u2019t pass the exam,<br>and walked home \u2014<br><strong>shonbori\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"263\" src=\"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/shonbori_1.png\" alt=\"Shonbori, meaning, Japanese sound words, onomatopoeia\" class=\"wp-image-2297\" srcset=\"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/shonbori_1.png 320w, https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/shonbori_1-300x247.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cultural Note<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In English, you might say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cFeeling down\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cCrestfallen\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cDisheartened\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But \u201cshonbori\u201d not only describes the feeling \u2014 it paints the <strong>posture, look, and atmosphere<\/strong> of sadness. <br><br>It\u2019s often used in children\u2019s stories, manga, and daily conversation to vividly express being let down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Watch &amp; Feel the \u201cShonbori\u201d World!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A dog doing Shonbori&#8230;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The dog looks so Shonbori after being scolded!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position:relative; width:60%; margin:0 auto; text-align:center;\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=I5ZPX23ysEg\"\n     target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n     aria-label=\"Watch this video on YouTube\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/I5ZPX23ysEg\/hqdefault.jpg\"\n         alt=\"Watch on YouTube\"\n         style=\"width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:10px;\">\n    <div style=\"position:absolute; top:50%; left:50%; transform:translate(-50%,-50%);\n                font-size:32px; color:white; background:rgba(0,0,0,0.6);\n                padding:8px 12px; border-radius:50%;\">\n      \u25b6\n    <\/div>\n  <\/a>\n\n  <div style=\"margin-top:8px; font-weight:600;\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=I5ZPX23ysEg\"\n       target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n       style=\"color:#78e2c8; text-decoration:none;\">\n      \u25b6 Watch on YouTube\n    <\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Try Using It!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When your friend looks sad after losing a game \u2192 Say shonbori\u2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When you\u2019re discouraged after a mistake \u2192 Say shonbori\u2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When your pet looks lonely \u2192 Say shonbori\u2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Say it gently, like a sigh:<br><strong>Shonbori\u301c<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"p-blogParts post_content\" data-partsID=\"4929\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box is-style-intext\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\"><span>More Emotion-based Onomatopoeia:<\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/?cat=37\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mint_background-x300_emotion_enter__.png\"\n       alt=\"illustration for emotion-based category\"\n       class=\"puni-top-image\"\n       style=\"border-radius: 15px;\">\n<\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-button is-style-btn_normal\"><a href=\"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\" class=\"swell-block-button__link\"><span>Home<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ever seen someone sitting with drooped shoulders after bad news? Or felt your own energy fade after something didn\u2019t go your way? That\u2019s when the Japanese onomatopoeia \u201cShonbori\u201d (\u3057\u3087\u3093\u307c\u308a) appears \u2014 a sound that perfectly captures looking and feeling dejected. Before we dive in, hear what it sounds like! What is \u201cShonbori\u201d (\u3057\u3087\u3093\u307c\u308a)? \u201cShonbori\u201d is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"swell_btn_cv_data":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-_emotion-based"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2293"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6686,"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2293\/revisions\/6686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punipunidictionary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}